Millward Brown acquires Impact Information

11 June, 2001

Millward Brown has acquired South African market research agency Impact Information, giving it its first wholly owned operation in Africa, and bringing the number of countries in which it has offices to 30.

Johannesburg based Impact has a staff of 30 and billings in excess of 12 million Rand. The company will change its name to Millward Brown Impact with immediate effect.

Commenting on the acquisition, Erik du Plessis, MD of Millward Brown Impact said: ‘This is a perfect fit for us. We currently work with a number of Millward Brown’s major multi-national clients, and now we’ll be able to bring them Millward Brown’s world class proprietary techniques and in turn contribute to Millward Brown’s understanding of research in the African market.’

Added Bob Meyers, CEO of the Millward Brown Group: ‘More and more of our clients view South Africa as critical to completing their global network. As they organise themselves to reflect this, we need to respond by giving them access to our services locally. We are particularly pleased to welcome Impact and Erik du Plessis to the team, as for many years they have been one of South Africa’s leading advertising, brand and media research agency’.